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Deregulation of the cab industry; a racist bill -
Last night, during the federal leaders' debate, the Quebec National Assembly adopted Bill 17 on the reform of the cab industry in Quebec. This bill would severely degrade working conditions for cab drivers.
By deregulating the number of vehicles on the road, as well as abolishing special driving licenses and annual vehicle inspections, the government aims to flood the streets with cabs. This will mean that drivers will have to travel much longer to pick up their customers. Working hours will be much longer if drivers have any chance of maintaining their current annual salary. What's more, the long hours spent looking for customers will significantly increase emissions.
The bill is racist, because we all know that Quebec's diversity is very well represented in the cab industry. Behind the wheels of cabs, we can find people from all over the world. Often these people are highly educated in their countries of origin, but the government doesn't recognize their diplomas. The majority are immigrants, refugees and visible minorities. The deregulation and degradation of working conditions in this industry is another example of systemic racism in Quebec and the racism of the Legault government.
The Green Party of Quebec will always fight racism. Solidarity with Taxi drivers!
Alex Tyrrell
Leader of the Green Party of Quebec
